Stereotype-plate-molding apparatus



April 17, 1928.

H. F. BECHMAN sTEREoTYPE PLATE MoLDING APPARATUS 1 t 6 6 h S 6 S t e M S l.. 2 H l\| H w NW- H. www um t H.. Wlr|ll||.| l J mm .A w ,w M F l 0%. w r. 1 Q |||rl l I I l l l l I l l l l l I I l I I n Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. BECHMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T DUPLEX PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN,A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE-MOLDIN G APPARATUS.

Application led April 6, 1925. Serial No. 21,054.'

This invention is a novel improvement in molding apparatus, and is -especially adapted for use in the casting or molding of .so-called stereotype plat-es used in printing presses. The object of the invention is to provide a novel gate for pouring metal into a mold whereby the inlowing metal is divided at the point of inletr and lows in opposite directions into-the mold so as to shorten lthe travel of the metal in the mold chamber and more quickly lill the same, as compared with the present known apparatus in which the metal has to traverse the entire. length of the mold chamber in filling metal into the mold chamber.

The casting box is only partially shown` the same.

This invention is especially designed for use in connection with stereotype plate casting boxes; and in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is used in connection with boxes for casting so-called tubular vstereotype plates.

By using this invention the metal enters midway of the mold chamber rather than at one end thereof; and preferably also enters the mold chamber through an inlet in the top thereof rather than at one side thereof, but I do not consider the invention limited to any particular position of the pouring slot or gate, provided that in any case the gate be so constructed and located that the molten metal passing into the mold from such gate is divided into jets or streams which flow in opposite directions into the mold chamber; thereby greatly facilitating the filling of the mold, lessening the liability of the metal to chill or harden before the mold chamber is completely filled, and expediting the filling of the mold chamber.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, an understanding of which will enable others to adopt and use the invention in connection with different kinds of casting l'ioxes or molds. In the claims the essentials of the invention and novel features of construc- -tion and novel combination of parts, for which protection is desired, are summarized.

In said drawingsv Figure 1- is a detail side view of a casting box including a drag, cope, and core; equipped with a novel pouring gate in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an end View of Figure 1, showing the box closed in full lines; and partially open in dotted lines.

,lires 1 and 2, in which the plate is cast.

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged vertical transverse sections through the pouring gate and adjacent-.parts ofA the box, showing the alternate arrangement of the passages for the entry of the inflowing metal into the 7 7, Figure 3, showing the arrangement of the passages for the entry of the inilowing as" the present invention relates to the pouring gate rather than to any particular construction of the box, which may be varied.

As shown, the box has a drag 1, a cope 2,)-

a core l3, and a pouring gate 4.

In the box shown, the end of the core y3 is adapted to extend between the cope and drag when the parts are in casting position as in Figures l and 2, and the cope and drag each have a semi-cylindric recess in their opposed faces adapted to closely fit aroundv the core when the box is closed; and the drag and cope have semi-cylindric chambers (la, 2a) in their opposed faces which,

when the cope and drag are closed around the core, together form an annular moldchamber C, indicated in dotted lines in Fig- The drag and cope are preferably hinged together atthe lower side, as indicated at l", and they may be held in closed position around the cope by any suitable means not shown, such means not forming any part of the presentinvention.

The gate 4 communicates with the chamber C through a longitudinal slot'or mouth, .which is preferably formed between the free meeting ends of the drag and cope. Preferably the gate consist-sl of twoopposed side plates 4-, 4, and a plurality of interposed vertical partitions or members 4.

When the box is closed the opposed faces of the plates 4a, 4b slightly converge, forming an approximately wedge shaped mouth, and preferably one of the plates as 4b extends' above the top of the adjacent plate so as to facilitate pouring thev metal through the Vspout S of any suitable meltin pot into the mouth. The inner ends of t e plates 4a, 4" are adapted to contact with .the surface of the core 3 `and in the form of box shown will practically produce a longitudinal slot in the tubular plate cast therein,

' which plate is substantially like the plate de- 'scribedrin my Patent No. 1,129,946, dated March 2, 1915.

The partitions 4c are spaced apart and preferablyequidistant and parallel. These partitions and-,their vdistances apart may be varied to suit. ln the particular example shown there are thirteen such partitions, the two outer ones forming the end Walls of the gate. These partitions are adapted to extend transversely across the mouth and ex-` partition is formed on the plate 4 and the intermediate partitions are formed on the plate 4b. The partitions may be cast with the plates or may be cast separately and fastened thereto by any suitable means.

As shown the saidv partitions divide the gate into a series of vertical ducts D, and the alternate ducts D communicate at their lower ends alternately with opposite-sides'of the chamber C. For example every alternate y,

duct D will communicate with the-left hand side of the chamber C through a passage 4s in the` lower edge of the plate 4. for example, (see Figures 3, 5, 6') and all the intermediate ducts D will communicate with the opposite side of the chamber C through passages 4t in the lower end of the edge of the plate 4b as indicated in Figures 4,- 5

and 6. f

lVith this construction when the box`is closed and in casting position, as indicated in Figures 1 to 4. the 'molten metal poured into the mouth will 'low through thevarious parallel ducts D towardY the chamber C, but part of the met-al is directed into theI left hand side of the cylindric mold chamber through the passages 4s in t-he lower edge of plate 4, and part of the metal is directed intol the right hand side of the mold chamber C through the passages 4t in the lower edge of the plate 4. Thus the metal Hows y into the chamber in opposite `directions around the core, and the streams of metal meet at the center of the chamber, and the mold chamber will be quickly filled as the metal only has to travel one half the circumference of the core, or one half the total ,length of the mold chamber to'lll the chamber; whereas vin the present formsof tubular plate casting boxes the metal. enters the.

mold chamber romione end only and has to How the entire length of the chamber in order to fill it.

The plates 4, 4b are respectively attached to the free meeting ends of the cope 1 and drag 2 as shown and might be formed integral therewith, but I prefer to form the plates 4a and 4b separately and secure them to the meeting end faces of the drag and cope, as indicated in the drawings, as this facilitates machining of the. plates. As shown the plate 4a is secured to the meeting face of the drag 1 bybolts 1e set in suitable recesses in the drag and tapped into the plate 4a. The plate 4b is similarly shown as attached to the cope 2 by bolts 2e. Obviously any other suitable means of fastening plates to the cope' and drag maybe employed.

Of course metal could be supplied to the gate by a ladle instead of by a spout, as the means of getting the metal to the gate is not a part of the invention, but the metal supplied-to the single gate is divided at the point of entry into the mold into a number v of small jets, which preferably enter the mold chamber in opposite directions, and as these openin s 4s and 4t connect the mold chamber wit alternate ducts between the ribs, approximately half the metal would flow into the mold chamber to the right, and half would ow into the mold chamber to the left, quickly filling the mold chamber as stated.

I claim: 1. A mold provided with a pouring gate having a plurality of duct-s whereby the metal is divided into a plurality of oppoitely fiowingjets as it enters the mold-cham- 2. A castingbox `having a molding chamber and a pouring gate provided with a plu-l rality of inlet passages whereby the metal is divided into a plurality of oppositely owing jets as it enters the molding chamber.

3. A casting box having a molding chamllU ber and a gate provided with a plurality of partitions whereby the gate is divided into a plurality of ducts by which the metal is divided and enters the molding chamber in opposite directions.

4. A casting box having a molding chamber and a gate having a plurality of ducts communicating with the chamber whereby the metal is divided into a plurality of oppositely flowing jets as it enters said chamber.

5. A casting box having a cope and a drag; y

and a gate provided with a series of oppositely opening ducts whereby the metal is directed into the chamber at a plurality of points.

6. A casting box having a cope, and a drag: and a gate communicating with the molding chamber of the box and provided with alternate passages opening from the gate into the molding chamber at opposite sides of the gate.

7. A casting box having acope and a drag; and a pouring gate having a plurality of ducts, communicating Withl the mold chamber at opposite-sides of the gate, wheref by the metal is diyided and directed into the chamber in opposite directions.

8. A casting box having a cope, and a drag; a gate divided into a plurality of ducts, and passages connecting different ducts with the mold chamber at opposite sides of the gate, whereby the metal is directed into the molding chamber in opposite directions at a plurality of points.

9. A casting box having acope, and a drag and a core; and a gate connnunicating with the molding chamber through passages opening into the mold chamber at opposite sides of the gate, whereby the metal is directed into the molding chamber in opposite directions at a plurality of points.

10. A casting box having a cope, a dragr and a core; and a gate having a plurality -of ducts; and passages connecting different- HENRY F. BECHMAN. 

